Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun One who frequents drinking establishments.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun slang a person who spends much time in a bar or similar drinking establishment

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

bar +‎ fly

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word barfly.

Examples

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • I was quite advanced in years before I realized that this word was not an adjective.

    January 5, 2008

  • Yes, but it sounds good that way, doesn't it? ;-)

    January 5, 2008

  • It would make a good adverb, too

    "Please desist" I said to the dissolute busker, "you play so barfly".

    January 5, 2008

  • Excellent! A non-barfly sentence indeed.

    January 7, 2008

  • Someone who drinks a lot.

    July 22, 2008

  • I prefer bar-fly.

    May 30, 2018

  • There once was a drunk named McCarthy

    Consuming all alcohol snarfly.

    His limit once struck

    He’d quickly upchuck

    Sustaining his drinking bouts barfly.

    May 30, 2018

  • Bwahahahahaaa this one is my favorite

    May 31, 2018

  • madmouth, I am pleased to have tickled you. (In a purely notional sense, of course. No touching involved. Kept my hands in my pockets.)

    May 31, 2018